System and method for the preparation of arrays of biological or other molecules

Abstract

A method of separating species in a mixture of molecules, particles or atoms and collecting the separated species is described. The method comprises the steps of converting by ionization the species in the mixture to gas phase ions, separating the gas phase ions according to their mass charge ratio and/or mobility and collecting the separated ions. The system includes ionizing means such as electrospray to form the gas phase ions. The gas phase ions are separated by filtering, or in time or in space and soft-landed for collection such as on a surface.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . A method of separating species as a mixture of species and chemically reacting the species with a deposited species comprising the steps of
 converting the species in the mixture to gas phase ions,   separating the species based upon their mass/change ratio or ion mobility, and   soft landing the species into a small region of a chemically active surface.   
   
   
       28 . A method of mating a species of the first mixture with a species of a second mixture comprising the steps of
 converting the species of the first mixture into gas phase ions,   separating the ions of the first mixture in accordance with predetermined mass/charge ratios or ion mobility,   soft-landing the predetermined species at separate locations on a surface;   converting the species of the second mixture into gas phase ions,   separating the ions of the second mixture in accordance with the predetermined mass/charge ratios or ion mobility, and   soft-landing the predetermined species of the second mixture at predetermined locations of the ions of the first mixture.   
   
   
       29 - 30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . A method of preparing a microarray of molecules on a substrate from a mixture of molecules comprising the steps of
 converting the molecules of the mixture to gas phase molecular ions,   analyzing the mixture of gas phase molecular ions to determine the mass/charge ratio of the different molecules of the mixture,   separating the different molecular ions on the basis of their mass/charge ratio, and   soft landing the molecular ions at different locations on the substrate to form the microarray.   
   
   
       32 . A method as in  claim 31 , wherein the molecular ions are accumulated and then separated according to their mass/charge ratio. 
   
   
       33 . A method as in  claim 31  wherein the molecular ions are accumulated while they are separated. 
   
   
       34 . A microarray formed by the method of  claim 31 . 
   
   
       35 - 40 . (canceled) 
   
   
       41 . The method as in  claim 31 , wherein the molecular ions are collected as a continuous trace. 
   
   
       42 . The method as in  claim 31 , wherein collected molecular ions are mobile. 
   
   
       43 . The method as in  claim 31 , wherein collected molecular ions are immobilized. 
   
   
       44 . The method as in  claim 31 , wherein the collected molecular ions are bioactive. 
   
   
       45 . The method as in  claim 31 , wherein the collected molecular ions are not bioactive. 
   
   
       46 . The method as in  claim 31 , wherein the different locations are spots. 
   
   
       47 . The method as in  claim 31 , wherein the different locations are along a trace. 
   
   
       48 . The method as in  claim 31 , wherein converting the molecules of the mixture to gas phase molecular ions is by at least one technique selected from the group consisting of: electrospray ionization; matrix-assisted desorption ionization; and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. 
   
   
       49 . The method as in  claim 31 , wherein separating the different molecular ions is at least one technique selected from the group consisting of: mass filter; quadrupole ion trap; linear ion trap; cylindrical ion trap; and ion cyclotron resonance trap.